08/29/2017 - In-Person Interviews for Employment-Based Cases

In seeking legal permanent residence, i.e., a green card, an individual who is in the United States usually submits a Form I-485, Application to Adjust or Register Status as a Permanent Resident. One can file a Form I-485 based on marriage, employment, accomplishment, and investment. Relatives of asylees/refugees who are in the United States may also file petitions (Form I-730) to join their asylee/refugee family members. To date, in-person interviews have been limited to marriage-based cases. For other types of cases, once the government has reviewed all of the necessary documents and has screened the individual via background and medical checks, permanent residency is granted.

USCIS announced today that as of October 1, 2017, they will start expanding the types of cases that will be subject to an in-person interview. These will include employment-based cases and asylee/refugee cases. This change is to comply with Executive Order 13780, entitled “Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States.” USCIS has added that they will further expand in-person interviews to other immigration benefits. Please stay tuned.

Clark Lau LLC has provided the above information for informational purposes only. We will closely monitor how this will impact current pending and future applications. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your Clark Lau LLC attorney. Please stay tuned for the latest updates.